This shrub with a Mediterranean distribution is present in all regions of Italy except in the Valle d'Aosta and Piedmont, but is more common in Central and Southern Italy, and in the main Islands. It is one of the most typical components of the evergreen Mediterranean maquis, and is often grown as an ornamental in parks and gardens. The species is sporadic on the edge of the Sardinian temporary ponds, in contact with Mediterranean maquis vegetation. The wood is used as fuel. The genus name comes from the Greek 'philyra', a term already used by Dioscorides and Theophrastus; the species name refers to the leaves that on average are wider than those of other congeneric species. Flowering period: March to May.

Italian name(s): Agromasto (Calabria), Agromat (Calabria), Aladerru (Sardegna, Cagliari), Aliderru (Sardegna, Cagliari), Arrideli (Sardegna, Cagliari), Bagati (Veneto, Lago di Garda), Bagatì (Lombardia, Brescia), Bagatin (Veneto, Verona), Bagattin (Veneto, Verona), Busso di mare (Campania, Terra di Lavoro), Canniciaro (Calabria), Elce bastardo (Marche), Filaria (Toscana), Filaria (Marche), Filaria comune (Italia), Fillirea (Toscana), Fillirea latifoglia (Italia), Fusti da panieri (Puglia, Lecce), Ilatro (Toscana, Lucca), Ilatro comune (Italia), Iletro (Toscana, Lucca), Istia (Toscana, Firenze), Lanterugio (Marche), Latierno (Basilicata), Latierno (Puglia, Barletta), Latierno (Campania, Ischia), Lilatro comune (Italia), Lillai (Umbria, Perugia), Lillatro a foglie larghe (Toscana, Volterra), Literni (Calabria), Literno (Puglia, Lecce), Litierno (Puglia, Lecce), Olivastro (Toscana), Olivastro (Marche), Olivo selvadego (Veneto, Istria), Strilli (Marche, Macerata), Uliv mat (Friuli), Ulivastro (Toscana).